Destinations
by vardogr
Summary: Even Cupid rides the subway.


**Destinations**

**_Disclaimer:__ Hey, who wouldn't want to own these guys?_**

**Genre: **Alternate Universe

**Rating: **K

**Summary:** Even Cupid rides the subway. Nothing and no one is spared once Cupid decides to play matchmaker in the most unusual of places…. but with dire consequences.

**Content Warning: **Some swear words. Cannot help it at all.

**A/N: I have decided to temporarily stop writing HEIR to give way for this one. Do not worry, this only has one chapter. A rather long one, though. The draft story has been accumulating dust for months now in my cabinet full of drabbles and half-finished doohickeys. But I finally decided on posting this for a very special occasion. Last 10th June was the birthday of one of the most beautiful souls I have had the privilege of meeting through the net. Our common denominator is a certain alien (not little and green) by the name of Jonas Quinn. These past months, she had been my advisor, my friend, my critic, my inquisitor, my co-conspirator, my debate-mate, my tormentor and listener. My wacko buddy in every sense of the word. S**_**msw **__**snt-i**_** (read as "semseu sent-ee" meaning "my elder sister" in ancient Egyptian). My shock absorber all rolled into one. A person who never lost her confidence in me even if I fall short of her expectations and gave me that extra push I needed to boost my morale and kept me going when I thought I was on the brink of self-destruction (in writing each new chapter). Who worried for the both of us. And, most of all, ****one of my constants**** both in the real and in the fanfic world. This is the only way to show how much I value our budding friendship and her insights on just about everything, although, we are half-the-world-away from each other.**

**I was supposed to post this last June 10th but my PC went haywire on me and I have to apologize to **_**matute**_** for the delay.**

**Belated Happy Birthday, **_**matute**_**! Hope you enjoyed this special day with your loved ones and Keiko! Thank you for putting up with my eccentricities! Love you, friend! (hugs)**

***Update as of November 2009: Revised and (hopefully) improved.**

* * *

Saturday.

Mid-morning.

The day was cool and cloudy as the weatherman predicted the night before. The rain that drenched the city these last three days became a thing of the past as people left the relative comforts of their homes to take advantage of the sun to reconnect with friends and loved ones and to the world in general.

The city was glistening in the aftermath of the storm. The dark storm clouds that loomed terrifyingly above before were now just a harmless speck in a distance. Columns of beautiful fluffy white clouds replaced them and the sun would occasionally peek through, like a kid playing hide and seek in slow motion. Whiffs of smaller grey clouds scattered here and there gliding through the atmosphere, looking a lot like a slow moving herd of grazing animals on a grassy plain.

Life was good.

The weather seemed to be in agreement, despite the occasional drizzle.

A good day indeed.

A good day to get married.

But Jonas Quinn had no thought of his surroundings whatsoever as he hurriedly descended the steps to the subway station. Walking briskly, nimbly snaking his way past other people in front of him, Jonas never found time to think of anything else other than getting on the first train and be where he should've been an hour ago or he'd find himself in very hot water.

He took a quick upward glance at the large clock a few feet above them and blew air through tightly clenched teeth. The train was still five minutes away and as he impatiently stood there in the gathering crowd of passengers, also eagerly anticipating the arrival of the train, buried both hands deep into his navy blue overcoat glancing this way and that but not really seeing at all.

He mentally assessed his situation as he bit his inner cheek. No doubt they were all by now wondering where on Earth he was. Jonas never had, in a million years, any intention of being late at all but his car broke down today of all days when everyone was expecting it to be Daniel to be in this kind of jam. The thought was not out of malice but Daniel's car was widely known for its notoriety for breaking down almost every single day. A lot of their friends had been trying to convince the anthropologist to buy a new set of wheels since he could easily afford to buy three at the same time but their pleas had fallen on deaf ears. However temperamental that old VW Rabbit was, it had a deep sentimental value to him.

And so on the eve of the wedding, everyone offered Daniel a lift to church. His wife was away visiting her parents and just couldn't get away. Daniel politely declined all of them, not wanting to become a bother.

Now, it turned out that it was him who needed a lift. He could've just easily called any one of them to pick him up but dismissed the idea entirely, thinking that if he could get there by himself then why create a scene, right?

Taxis were a bitch so Jonas opted for the next most reliable means of transportation this fine city could offer.

The subway.

The crowd began to shuffle to the left as a couple of individuals tried to making their way in front of the platform. As Jonas moved along with the crowd, making sure not to step on anybody else's toes, cries of protests rent the air. Some grunted. A few swore loudly. A shrill protest came from a woman a few feet in front of him. Another angry outburst seconded as people started pushing. The young man could only shake his head in displeasure as he tried to keep his balance.

The lean and athletic six-foot-one advertising consultant wriggled his right hand up to his chest and felt the comforting lump of the small box hidden inside an inner pocket, wherein rested a pair of golden rings, assuring him that he hadn't mistakenly left it in the car.

Since he was the one closest to the jeweler's where the rings were ordered weeks ago, Jonas volunteered to pick them up on his way to church. As best man, it would've been Daniel's responsibility except that the scientist lived on the far side of town. As soon as he picked them up, everything started going downhill after that. His car broke down for some unknown reason much to his frustration and he was also running out of time so he grabbed his overcoat and opted to lock it up until he could attend to it and went in search of a cab until he reached the subway station on foot, further wasting valuable time.

Glancing at his watch one more time, he closed bottle green eyes for a moment, unconsciously offering up a silent prayer to the One above about wanting to live a long and happy life. The ceremony was about to start in less than an hour and he was still five stations away from his destination. Not to mention he still had to catch a cab for church, since it was still a good distance away, which in itself would be a miracle in this city if he ever managed to get one the instant he hopped out of there. He had to be on time to hand over the rings or suffer the consequences. There loomed a huge possibility that he could be permanently maimed for life after the groom-and possibly the bride-was through with him.

Today was an important day for him and had no intention of spoiling it because of his tardiness. Jonas remembered the conversation he had with Daniel on the last wedding rehearsal: forget everything else but _not_ the rings. He laughed then, saying that forgetting it would be suicide.

But, surely, Jack would be reasonable. It was never his intention to find himself in this situation on purpose. But knowing him, and how much this day meant a lot, his friend would likely kill him _and_ bury him six feet under without even breaking a sweat.

The audible rumble of the oncoming train caught everyone's attention as heads turned in unison. Jonas, who was standing near the front, finally caught sight of the train's twin headlights as it approached the crowded platform. He craned his neck to inspect each carriage as the train slowed to a stop. He grimaced. Each carriage was as jam packed as the previous one.

_Where did all these people came from?_ He asked himself as the doors slid open and the sea of people moved forward, letting himself be swept along. It was a miracle that he managed to board it despite how crowded it was, searching for a place to settle in for the ride.

A few moments later, the train finally moved forward, slowly gathering speed, gently rocking the carriage in a sideways motion.

The sense of impending doom looming over his head like Damocles' sword brought about him seeing his entire twenty-eight years of life zoom past before his eyes and it stopped on one specific event that, no doubt, dramatically changed his life.

_He was a gangly kid of eleven, standing beside his mother, looking wide-eyed at all the people around them. All were wearing black. They huddled in groups and conversed in lowered voices, holding glasses in their hands. Every so often, they would look at their direction. Some gave him a sad smile before returning back to their conversations._

_The elegant living room was not his family's. This was by far twice as large as their own back home. He heard it belonged to some General and as he turned to inspect his surroundings, people came over in twos and threes talking to his mother and a few even gently patted his head._

_He found that most irritating and would've told them to buzz off if not for the grief and loss he was feeling right now. Everyone understood or at least tried to._

_Jonas Quinn just lost his father._

_His mother's grip on his hand suddenly tightened making him look up inquisitive dark green eyes at her. She smiled at him wanly, saying that the General would like to have a word with him._

_Despite his grief, his curiosity was piqued at this. Why would a General want to have a word with him? He looked at the tall man that stood beside his mother, wearing what they call a "class A" uniform smiling down at him._

_His unvoiced question was answered by a simple shake of the head. No, he wasn't the General. He introduced himself as one Sgt. Walter Harriman. The uniformed officer held out his hand and Jonas shook it as manly as possible, just like his Dad used to do when he was still –_

_The sergeant smiled once again, causing his eyeglasses to hitch up higher on his face. He looked kind and his eyes wrinkled around at the edges, further softening his already kind features. Jonas immediately took a liking to this man very much. The sergeant asked Jonas (from one man to another) permission to take him away from his mother for a while. This he answered with a solemn nod and followed the officer down the hallway, not at all daunted by this meeting. They stopped by a door at the end of it. Walter smiled for the last time before knocking gently three times. A muffled voice bade them enter._

_Jonas was ushered in and found himself at the threshold of another large spacious room. The first thing he noticed was the healthy fire ablazed on the hearth in the fireplace. That and a small expensive looking table lamp atop a huge oak desk at the far corner of the room were the only sources of illumination within. The entire place looked warm and welcoming. Jonas liked it. And this was one of the places where he would be spending a lot in his later years._

_The barrel-chested, slightly balding man in his forties sitting behind the oak desk stood up and introduced himself as General George Hammond of the United States Air Force and thanked every one of them for coming. It was only then that Jonas noticed four other individuals sitting on couches to his right, almost covered by the darkness, for the first time. Two were already in their college years, one was a pretty teenage girl and the last was a kid almost around his age and wore round eyeglasses. Their names were Jack, T (he wanted be called by that only), Sam and Daniel respectively._

_He'd seen them earlier at the funeral. He remembered them also standing in front of the gathered assembly that morning, each in front of four other empty caskets lying beside his Dad's. Just like him and his mother. And just like him, they also lost their fathers somewhere in the jungles of Africa during a rescue mission._

And who would've thought that something so terrible could bring about this special bond the five of them now had? Certainly, not any of them.

Jonas would be forever grateful to the General for bringing all five of them together, with the retired military man as their foster father of sorts through the years. How long has it been now? Seventeen years? It came as a surprise that they had been friends for that long. It felt like it was only yesterday when a grim-faced Jack stood in front of the huge bay window watching the snowfall outside with his rigid back to them. Or T's inscrutable face as he set his jaw. He could still clearly see Sam's red nose and puffy, watery eyes, as she tried to stifle her cries. Or Daniel's somber expression, blinking back tears that threatened to fall anytime soon if he lets his guard down.

The train pulled into the next platform and a few of the passengers shuffled slowly towards the doors. A new set of passengers replaced those that alighted and the carriage was once again almost full. He took the opportunity to change places and settled on the steel wall directly opposite the door.

Back to his present dilemma. Forty minutes till the big event. Taxis were unreliable so he needed to strategize. He now had to admit that he was indeed in trouble and should definitely call someone to pick him up and drive him to church. The next step was who to call?

One name popped into mind. There was a possibility that they were still on their way to church. He quickly dug into his pockets, finally locating his mobile and began dialing. After three rings, the party at the other end answered.

"_Murray."_

"T."

"_Jonas?"_

"Yeah. Are you on your way to church?"

"_Yes, we have just exited the airport."_ T replied. A female voice spoke in the background. _"Where are you?"_

"Uh, I'm in a bit of a jam," Jonas confessed and recounted his present situation.

"_That is a problem," _T said quietly. A honk of a horn.

"I know!" Jonas said in agreement. "Any chance you guys could pick me up at the subway? I am still four stations away."

"_We still have to pick up a few wedding presents before we reach the church. We could pick you up afterwards but by then it could be too late."_

The small flame of hope died into nothingness. "Oh," was all he could say.

"_Sorry, kiddo."_

"That's okay, T."

"_You could always call the others and have them pick you up."_

"Yeah, I'll do that." And hung up.

Jonas rested the mobile against his forehead, sighing heavily. Scratch one. He still got a couple more that he could call and never wasted another second. He thought of calling either Daniel or Jack but stopped short in actually pressing the "call" button because he knew they were so busy with the wedding preparations that they had no time to pick him up. They could call for his sake, but he really did not want to become a bother. What was his mobile doing anyway, right?

They reached the next station and still Jonas had no luck. He closed his eyes in frustration. He simply couldn't give up! This couldn't be happening to him! It seemed that everyone attending the wedding had shut off their mobiles or left them in their cars, complying with the bride's strict rule about interruptions of any kind during the ceremony or there would be hell to pay. He managed to contact Siler but the poor man was admitted to a hospital last night due to an accident while putting some finishing touches inside the church last night in preparation for the wedding.

_I'm doomed, _he told himself sighing heavily. The hand that was holding the mobile fell limply on his side. He closed his eyes, blocking everything from his sights and just listened to the noise around him. His mind churned on what to do and the eventuality of having a very short life expectancy was foremost in his mind. He was running out of options and running out of stations.

And what's more, he was running out of time.

Laughter rang out, forcing Jonas to open an eye a crack at the direction of the sound. It wasn't hard to find where it came from. Two young women by the door on the other end of the carriage continued laughing, facing the window. Not shrilly, mind, they were light and full of warmth. Most of the passengers also happened to be looking at them, too, but they seemed not to mind as they waved goodbye to someone out on the platform. Intrigued, Jonas craned his neck to see better.

A man was waving enthusiastically back at them. He motioned with his hand, thumb and pinkie extended outward, hovering close to one ear while mouthing the words "call me" at them. One of them nodded her understanding while her companion looked around the carriage at the others, her smile not entirely disappearing.

Their eyes met and her smile did not falter. She was smiling but it was not at him. It was merely a passing glance nothing more but in that split second, Jonas felt like something simply connected and a funny flutter in the pit of his stomach made itself evident.

It seemed that these new batch of passengers were a lot more plenty than the last one and before Jonas knew it, he was being pushed further away from his current position and from the smiling girl and her companion. He didn't know why but his thoughts were irrevocably drawn back to her.

The train moved forward.

She had short hair, in the most beautiful shade of gold he had ever seen. It looked soft and pliant to touch and it framed her face perfectly. Her pert nose just about perfect with the rest of her face. Her eyes were twin pools of blue. Jonas could simply not take his eyes away from her, wanting to remember every detail in his mind. A whispered hope that she also gets off at the same station as he came not from his mind but from his heart. Realization hit him like being doused in freezing cold water. He never believed in love at first sight, and although Sam confessed of falling in love with Jack at first sight, he was still hard to be convinced by it alone.

Still, he continued watching her, in the hopes that she'd look his way once again so that he could smile up at her. His mobile suddenly came alive startling him. People turned disapproving frowns at him which Jonas offered an apologetic smile as he quickly answered the call, dipping his head to look down at where his feet should be.

"_Where the bloody hell are you?"_ Jack O'Neill berated over the phone. That's what he got for spending time with Sam's mother and her British husband over at England for two months. Jack picked up some new words that he, with enthusiasm, added to his vocabulary. British swear words. _"You got the rings, right? Please. _Please, _tell me you got them?"_

"I got them Jack," Jonas tried to assuage the groom, his voice lowered. "Don't worry."

There was an audible sigh of relief on the other end of the line. _"So where are you now exactly?"_

_Oh, boy. _"I'm almost there, Jack." He could definitely picture his friend pacing the groom's room at the back of the church like a restless animal in his cage. No doubt, he'd be massaging the back of his neck again and again in distraction, wincing in anxiety and just couldn't settle down even for a few seconds. Jonas could still remember the nervousness Jack showed on the eve of proposing to Sam all those months ago. What more now that he was getting married.

Jonas wanted so much to say that he needed help. That he needed someone to pick him at the station and he was on the verge of divulging his dilemma but cut short when Jack spoke first.

"_Make sure you do. Or you'll find yourself hanging upside down – "_

"_Daddy! Daddy!"_ children's voices cried out in the background.

"_Can we go and play outside?" _a boy cried out hopefully.

Jonas heard another voice.

"_Your clothes will get sullied." _Daniel's voice. _"You can play after the wedding, how about that?"_

"_But there are other kids outside the park now," _a little girl's voice replied, obviously pouting by the sound of it. _"We wanna play with them!"_

"_Yes, we wanna! We wanna!" _seconded by the boy followed by a chorus of protests with threats of telling their mother.

"_Alright! Alright! Settled down… you guys go ask Uncle Lou to drive you around for a while or something."_

Jonas heard shouts of joy as Daniel ushered them out of the room, promising to return as soon as they found Uncle Louis Ferretti.

"_Where were we? Oh, yeah, you make sure you get here in time, Jonas Quinn, or I'll – "_

After receiving a few more threats from the groom, Jonas finally hung up hoping that he wasn't blushing from the roots of his hair in embarrassment at those near enough to have heard Jack. He finally straightened and saw, to his surprise, the young woman looking at him curiously. A corner of his lips tugged into a tentative smile. She smiled shyly back (this time, her smile was _definitely_ aimed at him), her companion unaware what just transpired between them.

The third station appeared and Jonas' heart was racing wildly, discreetly watching her. If this was where she and her friend were to get off, Jonas simply had no idea what to do. If this was any other day, he would definitely run after her and boldly ask her name and, if possible, her number. He figured that someone up there was definitely having a kick at this.

Great relief flooded over him and released the breath he had been unconsciously holding as the doors closed and she showed no signs of going anywhere. He so much wanted to go near her and introduce himself, maybe even engage her in small talk but he was hampered by the people pinning him on his place.

She looked to be in her early twenties, wearing casual clothing that really made her beautiful skin stand out. She seemed to be two or three inches shorter, slim and very pretty. From where he stood, she seemed to be wearing no make-up at all and her hair simply tucked behind one ear. The only jewelry she had on were a silver necklace, with matching earrings, a simple bracelet and ring on her left hand. Her nails seemed to be void of any of those colorful nail polishes or whatever women called them nowadays. And her hands, her hands, well, -

His mobile once again rang to life, cutting short his musings. He didn't bother checking the identity of the caller.

"Quinn,"

"_Where are you?"_

Yikes. He gulped. Sam.

"Still at the subway," Jonas replied quickly, there was no use lying to her. "Just two more stops and I'll be there."

The bride did not take this news kindly as expected. _"What? Jonas, the ceremony's less than twenty minutes away!"_

"Don't worry, I got it all planned out." _Almost._

Deafening silence. _"Are you sure you'll be able to make it?"_

"Yes," wincing as he said this. "So, how is the soon-to-be-Mrs. Jack O'Neill doing? Nervous?"

"_Jonas,"_ There was definitely a growl there.

"I was just asking," he said casually. Actually, he was trying to shake away her feeling of nervousness at the thought of having Froot Loops for a wedding ring instead if he never got there in time.

"_In case it slipped your mind, __I have been Mrs. O'Neill for the past six years except in name," _reminded Sam. _"How do you think I feel?"_

They both laughed at this. Jack could be dense sometimes and Sam gave him a lot of leeway most especially when he thought that they should not get married yet and had been living together for the last six years. That was to say until an incident happened that left Sam railing mad at Jack in which case she demanded that he make up his mind to marry or to not marry her before she'd call him a bastard before the day was through.

Poor Jack, he never knew what was coming at him.

Jonas felt the carriage pull into a complete stop and people around him began to push their way towards the doors. He tried to catch a glimpse of her through the bustle and felt his heart dropped to his gut when he saw that she and her companion were no longer there!

"Sam," Jonas hurriedly began pushing through the crowd of people waiting for a chance to exit the carriage, "I'll call you later."

He heard her call out his name but ignored it as he finally stepped into the crowded platform, looking wildly around for any sign of her. He ran this way and that, trying to find out where she went, jumping up and down amidst the throng rushing to the exits.

The warning bell rang – the doors would close in a matter of seconds. Jonas scanned the sea of faces surrounding him getting more desperate by the second, thrusting both hands on his hair. He was torn between running after her and getting back into the train. He wanted so much to go after her, to find her. To know her name but the wedding…

The bell rang for the last time. Jonas swore out loudly as he took one last frantic look around before dashing towards the train bumping on a couple of passengers in the process who glared angrily at him but didn't notice any of them at all.

The doors closed behind him and Jonas somehow managed to get a vacant seat and rested his weary body on it, drawing his head back on the window and just closed his eyes. He didn't care one whit of the crowd regarding him or whatever they were thinking. He realized, with a sinking heart, that he lost her.

He didn't even got around to asking her name.

The train finally headed towards Jonas' destination.

Once there, he was the first out the door but one of the last to leave the platform. He still got ten minutes to spare but it seemed like he lost heart and the prior urgency disappeared replaced by the picture of a beautiful blonde-haired, blue-eyed woman who suddenly appeared out of nowhere and left the same way she did. Like she never really existed. An apparition. More like an angel.

"Jonas!"

He looked up as he heard his name being called out and saw, to his utter surprise and relief, Daniel Jackson running towards him in his wedding finery. "What are you-"

"T told me," Daniel huffed, grabbing a still dazed Jonas by the arm. "Come on, we need to get to church. Got less than ten minutes."

The urgency in his friend's voice had the desired effect on Jonas and he put more life in his steps as they ran up the stairs.

"What about Jack?" Jonas couldn't help inquiring.

Daniel snorted. "He can take care of himself," he replied. "But in case you wanna know, the General's with him before I left to rescue you."

"Ha-ha." Jonas laughed humorlessly as he followed the scientist around a corner. With the General there it meant that there was a huge possibility Jack would let him live if, in case, they never got there on time. "So who drove you over-" All thoughts flew out the window as soon as he saw the vehicle that was to escort him quickly to church.

Daniel's temperamental VW Rabbit.

The bespectacled man opened the driver's side, got in and reached for the door on the other to let Jonas in.

"You can't be serious…" was the only thing that Jonas could utter at that moment, his mouth hanging open. The car was ancient and it would definitely be a miracle if the vehicle could even make it past 50.

Daniel's boyish face peered up at him from inside the car. "One simply cannot afford to be choosy in times like this."

The advertising consultant stared incredulous green eyes at his friend who disappeared back into the driver's seat. If circumstances were different, he was, on any account, not going to ride _in that thing_. But the thought of Jack killing him was incentive enough for the young man that he just shrugged his shoulders in a hapless sort of manner. "What the heck," he muttered as he jumped in.

After four nerve wracking attempts on trying to jump start her engine, she finally gave in to her owner's coaxing. Daniel floored the gas and they were going at a rate Jonas thought she was no longer capable of.

"You should've called earlier," Daniel reprimanded beside him.

"I did. Everyone's unreachable at the moment." Jonas responded, holding on to the dashboard, his eyes never leaving the road ahead of them.

Daniel looked at him askance. "Have you tried calling me?"

There was a long pause which was answer enough for Daniel but seemed not offended by it.

"I managed to contact Siler, though. But he's confined in a hospital."

"Fell down the ladder while he was fixing the lights at the altar last night."

"That man's a walking disaster waiting to happen."

"Accident prone." Daniel commented.

"More like accident magnet," Jonas grunted. He looked right as they turned.

"And to think that he's chief technician at NASA!"

Jonas shook his head. "Can't imagine him working there with all sorts of accidents befalling the guy."

"We should probably ask Sam," Daniel suggested thoughtfully since he was a colleague of Sam's.

Jonas shifted their conversation into more pressing matters. "So, how's Jack holding up?"

Daniel looked left and right before crossing an intersection. "Well, he's hardly holding anything _down,_" the reply made Jonas glance at him in surprise. "Anything solid, that is. Jack's been drinking beer since he woke up this morning. Says to help him relax. Little did he knew that the guys, predicting that Jack would do exactly that, "tampered" with his stash while the two of us went out for a walk last night."

Jonas' looked at him questioningly. He was unable to join their all-men's night which they held every Friday and everyone thought that since Jack would get married the next day decided on spending it there at his temporary residence instead.

"We decided on replacing three-fourths of their contents with water."

"_What!"_ Jonas exclaimed. "And Jack never noticed?" Their friend must really be out of it.

"I'll have you know that it was all Kewolsky and Ferretti's idea in case it all blows out in the open," Daniel shifted gears. "But honestly, I don't think Jack could even differentiate his shirtsleeve from his pant leg at the current state he's in."

Jonas couldn't help laughing at this. "I heard the kids a while ago." The twin spires of the church were now visible to them.

"They're with Lou," Daniel eased the vehicle in front of the building. Jonas glanced at his watch. Five minutes to spare. That was record time.

For an ancient car like Daniel's, she certainly proved that she could still deliver and Jonas was of a mind to add himself to her very, very short list of admirers.

"Go," his friend said. "You hand over the rings, I'll park the car."

"No." Jonas shook his head, fishing out the pale blue box from his pocket and handed it to Daniel. "You take these, I'll park. You're best man and Jack must be wondering where you are. _Go_!"

The scientist left and sprinted up the church's front steps, the rings safely in his hand. Jonas parked the car not too far away. After making sure that all doors were securely locked, he headed at a leisurely gait back to church. Solemn church music floated out onto the streets.

Jonas stopped at the foot of the steps for a moment to study his surroundings, both hands buried deep into his overcoat pockets. This was the first time he took notice of his surroundings now that he had the chance to just relax and appreciate the beauty of the day, despite the occasional drizzle. He took a slow deep breath before exhaling it in a spry manner, smiling at nothing at all.

It was indeed a good day to get married.

He looked up at the sky in time to see the sun about to burst forth behind a thick cumulus cloud, casting golden rays on places where its light could penetrate through. The park that the kids were referring to a while ago was situated to his left and focused his attention there. There were indeed a lot of kids there playing to their heart's content, squealing in delight as they ran around each other. The adults were sitting on wooden benches scattered around the wide open space, watching the little ones play as they conversed with each other. Jonas smiled at the scene before him.

A car horn cuts through his musings as a familiar looking truck parked right beside him.

"Jonas," a female voice greeted. He turned and saw the speaker sitting at the back of the vehicle. A smile of pleasure erupted from his thin lips as he quickly moved in to open the car door and helped her out.

"Sha're," Jonas bent down to wrap the diminutive figure of Mrs. Sha're Jackson into a gentle hug as soon as she stepped into the sidewalk, mindful of her delicate condition.

Daniel's wife hugged him back. "Are we late? Were you able to bring the rings in time?" Worry was clearly written all over her beautiful face.

He nodded jerking his thumb over his shoulder. "Daniel's got it. Still got a few minutes before the ceremony."

She heaved a sigh of relief along with a "thank god" before a smile appeared on her lips. She hugged him again. "I am so happy to see you! Does my husband know that I am returning today?"

"Nope. We were all in agreement that we wanted the man to suffer some seeing that he'd been insensitive of your condition of late." Jonas quirked a brow.

"Cut him some slack, Jonas Quinn." Sha're chided. "You know better that Daniel cannot help working at odd hours of the day. It goes with his position and not to mention that he is hard-pressed on putting together a new expedition team bound for Guatemala."

Jonas sighed dramatically all the while shaking his head. "You always make up excuses for him! No wonder Daniel married you: you're his personal shield."

"No, _I_ married him because he is putty in my hands," Sha're laughed at this. "And never demanding."

Jonas could only smile. He then lightly placed one large hand over her round belly. "And how's little Cathy today? Hope she didn't gave Mommy a hard time during the flight back home?" Little Cathy Jackson was the couple's first child.

Her beautiful face glowed with pride as she lovingly ran one delicate hand at that part of her belly where her unborn child's head was resting. At eight months pregnant, Sha're looked even more beautiful than ever before. Motherhood was definitely going well with her. "Catherine has been the most behaved of angels. She slept all throughout the flight and I think she still have some more sleeping to do."

Jonas studied his friend and couldn't help saying it out loud. "No, really, it seems that a few weeks away from Daniel had done you some good, Sha're."

"I told her so myself,"

Jonas turned around to see T along with, to his surprise, a female companion with long dark hair going near them. He introduced her as Drey.

"Drey accompanied him to the airport," Sha're happily explained. "She's half-Greek, was born in South Africa and grew up here."

Jonas threw T an impressed look above Sha're's head. Daniel's wife loved having loads of friends, not odd with her bubbly personality. "'Twould seem that Mrs. Jackson's found herself a new friend."

"I think she knew a whole lot more about Drey than I do," T interjected, smiling himself. "And just under an hour."

Drey laughed demurely. "Sha're had been a most wonderful person to be with and I do not mind being asked at all." She was quick to defend the small woman against them. "Unlike some," and cast a sideways glance at T who never relinquished his hold on her.

Jonas' brows rose even higher as he scrutinized his friend who seemed to be a tad bit red around the neck and could only mutter about wanting to see if they could be of assistance to either the bride or the groom. Drey laughed at this, a rich laughter that was infectious as the couple climbed the stairs and out of sight.

Jonas was about to lead Sha're up the stone steps when they heard children's cries coming from the direction of the park. They both turned and watched two toddlers of five ran across the park as fast as their little legs could take them, the lanky figure of Louis Ferretti following not far behind, reminding both kids to slow down.

"_Unca Jonas! Aunt Sha're!"_ the boy and girl called out again and again as they ran. Huge smiles plastered on their faces.

"Hey, kids!" Jonas greeted back, his eyes twinkling in merriment. Sha're also did the same, waving at the kids enthusiastically. When the fraternal twins finally closed in, they rammed themselves against Jonas' legs nearly toppling him over and wouldn't let go.

"About time you guys arrived," Louise Ferretti said in way of greeting. He panted a little as he had to run after the O'Neill twins across the park. He hugged Sha're and gently laid a kiss on top of her head. "Jack looked like he was about to burst a vein."

"We were in a bit of a jam," she replied for the two of them. Sha're tried to stifle her laughter as she watched Jonas valiantly tried to pry the precocious twins' chubby arms from around his legs without much success.

"How about Aunt Sha're? Won't you guys give her a hug, too?" Jonas gently coaxed.

"Mommy says we might hurt little Cath," the boy named Jake O'Neill said, his huge blue eyes looking up at him.

His twin sister, Heather O'Neill, who was latched on Jonas' other leg, nodded emphatically. "She said we can only give her a kiss."

"Daddy said he's gonna hang you upside down, Unca Jonas." Jake blurted out, his face serious.

Heather nodded once again, her soft brown locks rippled at the movement.

Sha're could no longer hold herself in check and burst into fits of laughter. The young man turned accusingly at her. "Yes, laugh at my expense." He then turned to the children. "Don't believe what Daddy says. He always does that whenever he's nervous."

"Of marrying Mommy?" Heather inquired, her little voice carried a surprised tone in them.

Jonas slightly tipped his head to one side. "I guess, you could say that."

The twins looked at one another. Although the kids had their mother's eyes and their father's dark brown hair, they were the exact replica of their parents. Heather O'Neill was the female version of her father Jack as Jake was of Sam. And they also shared their parents' personalities.

Jonas felt someone tugging at his pant leg. It was Heather and it only meant one thing. He carried her up his arms and brought her near Sha're so that the child could place a very wet kiss on the woman's cheek.

"Me, too! Me, too!" Jake cried but Heather wouldn't want to relinquish her position to her brother. Lou was kind enough to assist him, carrying Jake and helped the toddler deliver another wet kiss on Sha're's other cheek.

"Listen," Lou said after putting the boy down. "I haven't locked the car so I better be going back. Get the kids inside the church for me, will you? Thanks."

After watching Lou sprint across the park once again, Sha're noticed Jake's appearance. "Where have you guys been?"

"Ice cream parlor," little Heather answered, nestled comfortably on Jonas' arms.

Jake pointed across the park in the direction where they came from. Sha're fished out a dainty handkerchief before bending a little to wipe ice cream from the child's face. The boy obligingly stood still. "Chris was waiting for his mommy."

"And who is Chris?" Jonas asked, looking down at him but Jake couldn't answer because Sha're was still cleaning him. He looked at his sister instead who now rested her forehead against the curve of his neck. She suddenly waved her hand at someone.

"That's Chris," she said.

Jonas turned to look at the direction where Heather was waving at. A little dark-haired boy of about the twins' age held by a man as he waved at someone far away.

_Probably Chris' father, _Jonas concluded.

"Cassie!" The man called out.

"And I think that's his mommy," Jack's daughter added in a lazy drawl that was so much like her father's.

He turned to study the child's mother and got the shock of his life.

Her.

Cassie.

The blonde-haired, blue-eyed woman on the subway.

"Mommy!" The kid wriggled out of his father's grasp and ran to meet her halfway.

For the second time that day, Jonas felt his heart went deadweight and dropped unceremoniously in the pit of his stomach, like being punched there. He continued staring as mother and child finally met. Cassie bent low and hugged the boy to her enthusiastically, kissing the top of his dark head. They were talking animatedly to each other, her eyes twinkling in merriment.

The man walked up to the pair, his hands in his pockets as he stood a few feet away from them, letting them talk to each other in private. He was beaming at the two of them as he looked on.

The boy named Chris must've told her about his encounter with the O'Neill twins because he suddenly turned and pointed at their.

"We better get inside, now." Sha're suggested as she straightened. "They might be wondering what's taking us so long." She studied Jake's face, satisfied that she had done a good job in wiping off the ice cream from her nephew's adorable face.

Jonas swung his head at Sha're the exact moment Cassie looked their way. "Y-yes, I think so, too."

The anthropologist's wife held Jake's hand as Jonas offered his arm to her. She sweetly smiled her thanks but the boy stopped as they were about to climb the steps, wanting to adjust his ball cap. Sha're stooped just enough to help him out. Jonas took that opportunity to look back at the park and saw…

…that she, Cassie was still looking at them. No, make that _at him_.

"Am ready, Unca Jonas," Jake announced.

_She's married, with a beautiful child, _Jonas thought._ They seem happy._

"Jonas?" Sha're caught her friend's faraway look and turned to see for herself. "Is everything all right?"

The gentle squeeze on his arm brought him back to his senses and just caught the tail end of his friend's query. "Yes," he answered, looking down at her concerned features, offering a smile of reassurance. "Ready?"

- - - o 0 o - - -

Cassandra Fraiser was simply ecstatic to see her son Chris after her long stay with her mother in New York. They just closed an important business deal and only stayed long enough to ensure that everything panned out perfectly and left the rest to her mother's capable hands for a while as she focused her attention of taking care of Chris' adoption papers so that she could legally adopt him.

She fell in love with the child the moment she laid eyes on him and couldn't wait to make him hers. Chris was sweet, gentle and intelligent. The boy was good-looking and most behaved so Cassie couldn't, for the life of her, imagine how could a mother ever abandon her son just like that.

"Mommy!"

She met the child halfway and hugged him fiercely to her, swinging him from side to side. "How is my baby? Mommy missed you so much. Have you given Uncle Ben a hard time while I was away?"

Chris shook his curly head, his infectious smile never leaving his face. Cassie glanced over her son's shoulder to smile at her friend who stood a few feet away to let the two of them have a private chat.

"We went to eat ice cream," Chris began, his hands waving animatedly. "And I met two new friends."

Her brows rose up in delight. "Really?"

Chris nodded once again. "They're twins, Mommy. They're fa- they're farternal." The child was having a hard time at the word "fraternal". Cassie gaily laughed as her son pointed them out behind him.

She followed with her gaze and felt like the wind was knocked out of her. The twins were there all right. Both had dark brown hair as the couple with them also were. The boy was standing on the pavement as his clearly pregnant mother stooped to clean his face. His twin sister was cozy in the arms of the man holding her, her head resting at the crook of his neck. A picture perfect family.

But the man, Cassie thought, was hauntingly familiar as their eyes met.

As the group began to ascend the steps, the handsome man offered his arm to the beautiful woman, not letting go of the little boy beside her but the toddler suddenly wriggled his hand free of his mother's grasp to adjust his ball cap. His mother stooped down to help as he turned around to look back at them.

No, make that, look back _at her_.

She saw him incline his head at something the woman beside him said before she turned to see what the man, her husband, was looking at. He said something before urging them on again.

Cassie thought that was the end of that very unsettling encounter and would've returned her attention back to her son who was patiently standing beside her but for some unknown reason, found herself unable to tear her eyes away from them. It was like she was waiting for something to happen. Or maybe she merely wanted to remember where she had seen him before.

Just before the church doors obscured the group from her sight, Cassie glimpsed the man turned to look back at her direction.

And smiled.

Her heart skipped a beat as realization began to dawn on her. She finally remembered him as the guy in the subway. The cute one who's mobile kept on ringing.

She wanted to return the smile. to wave back at him to show her recognition, something. But he had already gone inside with his family.

The smile disappeared from her lips replaced by something heavy weighing in her heart. Cassie couldn't seem to explain why she felt that way. It was strange. Very strange and unsettling.

Cassandra Fraiser felt like she just lost the only opportunity she was given to even ask him his name.

_~The End~_

_

* * *

Inspired by James Blunt's "You're Beautiful". A spur of the moment fic when I was feeling down all those months ago. I apologize for being so mushy and I have to say I make a very bad job of it. So apologies are needed most especially to matute. I would like some insights on what you think of this one. Good, bad or worst I can take it. Thank you for reading. _


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